BESTuners Tryout Report: Vote on whether this is worthy!

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Is this report worthy of BESTuners? (Please explain why in a post after you voted)


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DuckRacer

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Commodore SS Series II


Driver: Anonymous

BESTuners Commodore SS Series II ‘04 Report

Deep Forest Raceway Time: 1’13.092

Exterior: Well if you’re Australian you’ll love this car, it’s an icon for us and is probably one of the most used cars in the country. It’s big, it’s built as a family car but not short on racing car look, packed with a wing and some nice rims this car would certainly turn your head if you saw it drive past your house. One thing I was not overly keen on was when applied with a wing it stands out a bit to much, it’s very high and can take away some of the cars other features, but if your going to race this car you need that wing as the bulk in this car can have trouble sticking to the track without any down force. I decided to fit the bigger wing, it looks way out of place but it’s down force I am wanting. I also love the light configuration on the front of this car, it looks great.



Pro’s on the Track: Before hitting the track, I of cause went and packed it full of Horse Power goodness and some other must have upgrades, I also lightened it of cause. So after some tuning (Settings further down) and Racing Medium tires put on I hit the track. With a nice 538 BHP behind the wheels it certainly has enough power, one thing I noticed is with the setting I used and Racing Medium tires it certainly brakes very well.
The acceleration is good, not extremely good but good enough. I hit a top speed of around 265 km/h on the main straight of Deep forest, and with it’s weight it handled good also, but still not overly impressive.



Cons on the track: It’s heavy, and I mean heavy. If you’re not the best driver you may struggle with this car, I myself took the time to learn it and find it no problem. I manage to take most corners easily, although with a bit of under steer. Being so heavy if you don’t keep the flow through a section of corners you can lose valuable time, and when I mean valuable I am talking about 2 or so seconds around the windy bits of Deep Forest Raceway.



The Conclusion: Big, heavy but with some guts. It’s rather fun to drive and when you’re able to link some tight corners together effortlessly, this car can really surprise you. But its weight is a problem and if you’re not up to a challenge give this car a miss other wise I think it’s a must drive.



The Information:

Price: $40,430
Type: FR
Power: 538HP/5600rpm
Torque: 630.35ft.lb/4000rpm
Color: Phantom Mica

What to Buy:

Racing Exhaust and air filter - $4,600
Racing brakes kit and Controller - $4,600 and $10,300
Port polish - $5,250
Engine Balancing - $11,000
Racing Chip - $1,250
Fully Customizable Transmission - $10,200
Triple Clutch - $4,600
Racing Flywheel - $1,000
Variable LSD - $6,300
Carbon Driveshaft $2,750
Supercharger - $13,000
Fully Customizable suspension - $16,000
Racing medium tires - $22,250
Weight reduction stage 1, 2 and 3 - $1,100, $5,300 and $21,000
Oil change - $50
Wing - $1,200

Settings:

Suspension
Spring rate - 9/5.5
Ride height - 110/112
Damper (Bounce side) - 5/6
Damper (Rebound side) - 7/8
Camber angle - 2.5/1.2
Toe angle - 0/0
Stabilizer - 4/4

LSD
Initial Torque - 12
Acceleration - 45
Deceleration - 15

Break Balance - 4/4

Down force - 30/30

Gears
1st - 2.856
2nd - 1.901
3rd - 1.379
4th - 1.049
5th - 0.838
6th - 0.702
Final - 3.260
Auto - 16


Note: Set Auto first.


Aids
ASM over - 10
ASM under - 10
TCS - 3
 
Yep, my vote is yes! Really nice! If I´m going to critisize anything, it´s repetetivness in use of the same word (ex. car, wing), but thats just being very picky!
 
Decent details regarding costs and the pics are good too. A bit thin on handling characteristics (under/oversteer) in different stages of the corner.

The only thing that makes me skeptical is the full ASM used. It waters down the true handling characteristic of the car.
 
I would have to agree with Mike Rotch. The excessive use of ASM will tone down any extreme characteristic of the car to the point that it will feel like an arcade racer.

anonymous
I manage to take most corners easily, although with a bit of under steer

I realize that BESTuner's leave it open to the reviewer whether or not they leave driving aids on. But I think if you're going to talk about a car's handling traits and tendencies on track in GT4 it should be done with aids off (or at least significantly reduced) IMO so you're getting the full picture. Others who want to use any of your advice or settings with aids off may find the car to be totally different than how it was described.
(true also the other way around I suppose - people using aids find a car different than a review done with aids off, but the results are more easily predicted)

If you do use aids, it might be appreciated if you wrote a short description of your experiences with the aids off that caused you to turn them on.

Of course this is all personal opinion, and perhaps I'm being overly picky. But that and that alone makes it a 'no' vote for me.
 
The reviewer has got the goods. 👍

However,
ASM and TCS need to be lost for this sort of thing.
Mike Rotch and boundry layer said all that I would have said in that regard.

Strictly regarding the review:
The photos were great.
The prices and equipment section was great but a "total cost" would have been nice as an addition.
The word "Break" is a verb, the word "brake" is a noun. 👍

Overall though, a very good review.

I would need to test the lap and settings used to see if they are any good.
The lap time seems fast and I have no doubts about that.

My only doubts are about the suspension settings... I'm interested to see just how much time was spent dailing-in the bound and rebound since those settings are very specific but hold with the characteristics of the "cliche."
(the cliche being to always have bound lower than rebound... that same cliche also puts rear ride height higher than the front and camber always at levels higher than 2.0/1.0)

Just my opinion here. :indiff:

I'll be back with a more realistic and informed opinion about the settings, until then,
-Kent

Btw, when I am back with that opinion, I will vote and give a final opinion regarding the settings/ review. 👍

Back soon... :D
 
I vote no! :scared: ...why? Because although Im no authority, I notice a few errors in grammer (picky I know), repetitive photographic style, and the article didnt really have a good narrative flow from beggining to end with any points of interest or new insight. I didnt notice a link between the text and photography either. i.e. - It would have been nice for me to glance at a close up pic of the detailing when the author mentioned the aero-parts or front light assembly.

There was a lot that was good but the above are my reasons why I vote no. Sorry.
 
Guys u miss the point, it needs a bit more spectators maybe, and because the section it's in is not really visited that much, this review shows what it is in a more busy forum.

I think BESTuners is a great project and have some great reviews, spelling and grammar is really out of the issue, dont judge on that these guys make a very big review and you go check on spelling.

I think it's a great job you are doing and it's just fun to read:tup:
 
Looks good to me. :cheers:
(ran a 1'11.5 myself :sly: )

Voted yes for the contender too... !
(doing that now :D )
 
We don't want your settings dude. The settings can be okay, and driveable is what we're looking for. The pics are fine as they are. Edit your post because we don't want your settings. Super Moderator or not, doesn't matter, this is a thread to see whether the person is worthy and good enough for GTPlanet's BESTuners...
 
ekmatt9
We don't want your settings dude. The settings can be okay, and driveable is what we're looking for. The pics are fine as they are. Edit your post because we don't want your settings. Super Moderator or not, doesn't matter, this is a thread to see whether the person is worthy and good enough for GTPlanet's BESTuners...
Stop treating Kent like a n00b. :rolleyes:

Although, I agree with you. Kent, can edit out the part where you review the car and post the settings? I'd post them in your settings thread, though.

I'll also PM you my opinion about the report, too. Probably tonight.
 
ekmatt9
We don't want your settings dude. The settings can be okay, and driveable is what we're looking for. The pics are fine as they are. Edit your post because we don't want your settings. Super Moderator or not, doesn't matter, this is a thread to see whether the person is worthy and good enough for GTPlanet's BESTuners...


Touchy touchy! :guilty:

For some reason I thought a BESTuners club would welcome me to speak my settings and race findings. :scared:

Sorry for actually testing the car, driving it to my potential and posting what worked.

:irked: :indiff: :lol: :cheers:
 
:D I love it when ekmatt9 and Duck bicker. Gives Bestuners an element of slapstick...a bit like the 3 bods on Topgear. Keep it up lads! 👍
 
Stop treating Kent like a n00b. :rolleyes:

Although, I agree with you. Kent, can edit out the part where you review the car and post the settings? I'd post them in your settings thread, though.

I'll also PM you my opinion about the report, too. Probably tonight.

Well, I thought SM's should already know what to do and not...


...And thanks Kent about your settings, but we'll hold them off...
 
Well presented but it doesn't give any reasoning behind the tuning process - why were certain modifications done? How did they affect the handling? Just saying it's big and heavy but goes fast doesn't give readers much to go on.
 
Although it was written well (syntax and spelling errors aside) the review didn't really affect me. If you are toting a car as a 'must drive' then you need to present it to me in a way that makes we want to go out and get that car. It seems rather disinterested, but it is not a bad review in all.
 
Hmm...The ASM is a little bothersome I guess. There is still something missing, but I'm not sure what it is exactly. Maybe it's just the blandness of the report. Which is ok, since this is your first. Mine wasn't too great either. I do see plenty of room for improvement. Pics are nice, but I'm not a fan of wings at all. As was mentioned before, you say the car is a "must drive" but your report doesn't really convince me. Kind of like ekMatt9 calling the BMW 330i a "beast." :lol: Other than that I think it's ok and there surely potential for improvement.
 
Hmmm, going to say no on this one.

The review seems a little bland, doesn't flow from one section to the next and then is all over before you know it.

We can see from the settings posted that some alterations have been made but there's little to no mention of these in the article. What effect did the changes have? What was the car like before?

An indication of mods to be done would be nice. ie: A must is an exhaust and bigger brakes, then if you can afford it change the suspension to set it up properly. If you're going the whole-hog with the SS, upgrade the LSD etc, etc... or whatever.

I have a lot of experience in reading car reviews and tests (not many on GTP, ones I actually pay for) and this writing style and content doesn't work for me. :indiff:

At the end of the day, this is just my opinion, but then that's what you've asked for.
 
Well, I thought SM's should already know what to do and not...


...And thanks Kent about your settings, but we'll hold them off...

They do, and as Kent has more GT experience then you, perhaps show some 'spect.

Re-reading it, ferrari chris has a point about it lacking some excitement :(
 
Mike Rotch
They do, and as Kent has more GT experience then you, perhaps show some 'spect.

Re-reading it, ferrari chris has a point about it lacking some excitement :(

Thanks but it's all good.

After I read his initial response I guessed the situation (and decided to just go along with it).

After I read this line in particular...
ekmatt
We don't want your settings dude. The settings can be okay, and driveable is what we're looking for...
I knew there was no use in even trying. :indiff:

And the "And thanks Kent about your settings, but we'll hold them off... " made me laugh as I thought he meant to say "we'lll hold off on them"! :lol:

Makes me wonder if he even tried either of the setups. :rolleyes:

But again, thanks... :cheers:
Later. :D
 
Ok, my review.

1. Grammar. It's decent enough, but not great. I think a spellcheck would've been helpful.

2. The tuning. The excessive use of ASM really worries me. You can pretty much do anything with the settings, and it'll be fine. IMHO, it's not really characteristic of a BESTuner. But the reviewer just doesn't make me feel that way. :indiff:

3. The review. This person says it's a must-have, but I'm feeling that it's a "stay away from" car. I've tuned this car before, and I thought it was a pleasant surprise. A great car to represent Australia.

The review just doesn't pull me in. I'm not hooked on reading it. Plus, the use of words. The author says "wing" many times, and I think the whole first section can be enhanced by using the word "spoiler" along with it. The review feels like it's been skimmed. There really isn't any "depth" in it. No detail on the subjects.

Granted, the photos are good, and I like the use of specifications, but sadly, my vote will be a no.

I'll place my vote when I test the settings. :cheers:
 
OK I've had a chance to test out these settings so I'm ready to reply on this one.

Before I get onto them, the report itself. I really have nothing to add that has not already been said, it fails to follow any form of narative or flow and has basic errors in the grammer and spelling. Overall it does not make me want to drive the car, which could explain why its taken me so long to get around to driving it.

The pictures are fine, no real issue with them at all.

However the settings do not feel as is they have been given a logical and serious approach, and that the driver aids have just been switched on to compensate. Turn them off and the settings feel unfinished.

Sorry this one has to be a no from me.

Regards

Scaff
 
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